Witness, NM

Tag: orthodox-christianity

  • Crossing the “I”

    Crossing the “I”

    The Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross Epistle—Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6 Gospel—Mark 8: 34-38; 9:1 In addition to the Gospel readings for the Lenten Fast, I have been reflecting on the Gospel of St. John. This week’s Gospel passages naturally intersect with those reflections. After a weeklong break from screens, as a form of…

  • Reaching Out into Infinity

    Reaching Out into Infinity

    Trading enlightenment for illumination “And Jesus, having seen their faith, saith to the paralytic, ‘Child, thy sins have been forgiven thee” (The Gospel According to St. Mark 2:5). Epistle — Heb. 1:10-14;2:1-3 Gospel — Mk. 2:1-12 St. Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century and was one of the last witnesses of Christ before the…

  • With Arms Outstretched

    With Arms Outstretched

    Reflections for Forgiveness Sunday “My friends, pray to God for gladness. Be glad as children, as the birds of heaven. And let not the sin of men confound you in your doings. Fear not that it will wear away your work and hinder its being accomplished. Do not say, ‘Sin is mighty, wickedness is mighty,…

  • He Who Has Ears

    He Who Has Ears

    Reflections on Luke 8:5-8 “A Sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns,…

  • Repentance: A Beginning

    Repentance: A Beginning

    Reflections on Luke 7:44-48 “Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to…

  • Prelest or Life

    Prelest or Life

    Reflections on Luke 6:6-10 When Christ healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath, He asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” (Luke 6:9). The hearts of the Pharisees, hardened by self-love and legalism, are unable to perceive the…

  • Revelation and Awareness

    Revelation and Awareness

    Reflections on Luke 5:8 The Trinity is revealed in Jesus Christ, bringing the fullness of healing to the world through the Incarnate Word, the true Healers and Lover of mankind. The Baptism of Christ points to the reality of His mission: to make all things new and restores man, reconciling him back to God through…

  • Wrath or Comfort

    Wrath or Comfort

    Reflections on Luke 4:25-29 Jesus Christ’s proclamation of His mission to bring deliverance and healing is met with astonishment and rejection in His hometown. This tension highlights humanity’s struggle to accept divine truth, a struggle that persists today. The God-man informs the people of the synagogue, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears”…

  • Living Stones

    Living Stones

    Reflections on Luke 3:7-8 St. John the Forerunner’s call to produce fruits worthy of repentance invites us to examine what this means in practice. To produce fruits worthy of repentance means to align our lives with God’s will, bearing witness to our faith through love and good works.   St. Paisios of Mount Athos offers…